Side impact protection apparati are known. For example, Boblin U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,607 discloses two transverse pipes of steel or aluminum extending across the entire width of a bench type seat, or across each of a pair of individual or "bucket" seats with a closely adjacent tubular reinforcement intermediate the seats. The pipes extend across the approximate mid height of the seat(s). A plastically deformable energy absorbing member of polyurethane foam is mounted in each of the oppositely disposed doors and adapted to abut against the adjacent outboard end of the pipes when the door is closed. The seats are anchored on spaced-apart supporting members mounted on the underbody. In this arrangement a side impact is transferred substantially laterally across the seats intermediate the oppositely disposed doors and not directly to the underbody.